The Dodo Archive

Blood Sports Breed Violence

I've always found blood sports despicable and never understood why any civilised human being would wish to take part in such hideous pastimes. In my early twenties, I recall jumping into the back of a van with a group of friends to help sabotage a fox hunt, which at that time was legal. I don't remember much about the day, only that we didn't have far to travel living in Chesterfield, on the edge of the Derbyshire peak district and the hunt didn't take place, or was abandoned. I do also recall the hunts people not being particularly pleasant, but I suppose to them we were the scum of the earth - animal rights activists, townies and bothersome troublemakers, with nothing else better to do than to try and ruin their afternoon of pleasure, at the end of an arduous week.

That's almost thirty years ago now, but my passion and wish to protect wildlife from hunting with hounds still beats loudly in my heart, along with 8 out of 10 British people. Compassionate people, charities including SAVE ME, PETAUK, BORN FREE, LEAGUE AGAINST CRUEL SPORTS and politicians from all parties, who showed a Conservative Government this week their distaste at David Cameron's insistence on trying to relax the law of hunting with hounds, to pacify a small minority of the public he serves. The impact was amazing leading up to the fox hunting vote, which should have taken place Wednesday 15th July 2015 and didn't, because of the power behind true solidarity, unity and love.

The web of lies, deceit and fabrication from participants of these blood sports has been nauseating to read, even suggesting we (the overwhelming majority of the British public, who have no desire to participate in these so called sports) don't understand the laws of the countryside and how it works. Laws concocted by the few who wish to resurrect a tradition that does not belong in the 21st century and needs to be laid to rest, just as other disturbing historical rituals have.

However, though I may not understand their laws, there are some laws I fully understand. Laws not written by man, laws that cannot be twisted, meddled with, or exploited. Laws that have been around since before humankind's existence and will still be around long after we cease to live. Laws that cannot be rearranged, dirtied or tampered with and laws that will always supersede the most powerful in our society. It might be as well for the minority, who wish to subject violence on other sentient beings to fully understand these laws too - the laws of nature!

Violence of any kind bestowed on fellow men, or animals, will always breed violence. We can never have a peaceful world, whilst governments and rulers condone cruelty and unnecessary slaughter of other sentient beings. Leaders, who do not see blood sports, or any acts of violence towards animals as a problem, I can only assume are showing a true reflection of themselves.

'Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.' ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

The law of karma is precise, it does not have favourites and neither does it care about wealth, or status. What we sow, we reap, in other words, whatever energy we transmit externally, will, without a shadow of doubt, return to bite us on the bum. Any person, who takes pleasure in hurting others, may well take heed in this law and realise the aggressive energy perpetuated during hunts, violent captures and needless slaughters of any animals, is not only harmful to the peace of the world, but is also gravely harmful to themselves too.

These natural laws should never be mocked. Scorn them as much as you will, but their existence has been proven time and time again by the greats of our societies, talked and written about for centuries, baffled scientists - yet we are still living in a world riddled with poverty, violence and fear. We need to ask ourselves why? The outpouring of love for the continued safe keeping of our wildlife was immense, however, some people did feel that the fox hunting vote was not the most important issue in the country right now and with 3.7 million children in poverty, I may have a tendency to agree. The question it raises for me though, is this - why is it high on a leader's agenda, who was voted in to govern the United Kingdom?

'The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.' ~ Mahatma Gandhi Sharon www.acompassionatevoice.co.uk